


Midori Berry Bliss

by galliechan



Category: Skip Beat!
Genre: F/M, Gen, One-Shot Collection
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-11-08
Updated: 2015-11-25
Packaged: 2018-02-24 14:47:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 4,520
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2585243
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/galliechan/pseuds/galliechan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of Skip Beat one-shots. Seven: How Ren hated them. Not (only) because of what they represent but because it meant it was time to dye his hair again. It was like Kuon refused to disappear, resurfacing every two weeks.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Question Bo couldn’t Answer

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: The Skip Beat manga is the property of its creator, Yoshiki Nakamura. The other Skip Beat media is property of their authorised owners. These stories are created by the author. All original settings, characters, etc., remain the property of the author.
> 
> Author’s Note: The title is a cocktail. I love giving cocktail names to my one-shot collections; it has no relation with the stories.
> 
> As for its recipe;
> 
> Ingredients:  
> • 0.5 parts Midori Melon Liqueur  
> • 1 part vanilla vodka  
> • 1/2 part Skyy Raspberry Infusions Vodka  
> • Splash of pineapple juice  
> • Splash of soda water  
> • Strawberry slices for garnish
> 
> Preparation:  
> 1 Fill a punch bowl half way with ice,  
> 2 Add Midori, Vanilla Vodka, Skyy Raspberry Infusions, pineapple juice and a splash of soda water,  
> 3 Garnish with strawberry slices.
> 
> I didn’t try it; I hope it is a nice drink!
> 
> I planned to make this story humorous but it turned out more dramatic. Hope you like it.

  
Midori Berry Bliss

A Skip Beat fanfiction collection  
by Galliechan  
© Copyright 2014

The Question Bo couldn’t Answer  


Lowering his arm for the umpteenth time, Ren stared at one of the identical staff room doors of TBM studios. He tried to take deep breaths to calm the butterflies in his stomach, eventually loosened his tie when it didn’t help. He raised his arm again, but jerked when the door suddenly opened.

He was yanked inside with knowing smiles. The Ishibashi brothers patted his back on their way out of the room. Ren never used to be a transparent actor, on the other hand, in the recent years, he got used to feelings coming so deep that he couldn’t hide it. Like the affection warming him when Bo the chicken tilted his head to one side at his silence. 

Ren knew Bo’s eyes and beak were fixed — the person inside was looking through a thin fabric near the eyes — however Ren would always give him expressions in his mind. He would be frowning with his eyebrows squished together right now, maybe with a surprised smile.

“Hello Ren," the-ever-helpful chicken said, “wasn’t expecting you here”.

“Surprise” he smiled. He wanted to grin and maybe shrug, knowing it irritated Bo like no other, but his affection ran too deep for this man and Ren learned not to hide it anymore. 

Bo squinted. “Was there anything you need? Some guilty secret to confess to your friend here?” He took a squeaky step towards him, a sly grin on his face, “Friendly ear, shoulder to cry on, a huge wing to shelter you. All ready! Confess!”

Ren backed away, laughing, as the chicken took another loud step.

“Nothing to confess, I have a request.”

“Ooh! That’s fine too! What is it?”

Ren’s stomach rolled. For the first time in a long while, he couldn’t look at Bo’s fixed eyes. 

“Hm? What is it?”

He had a deep, raspy voice. Ren leaned down to see the man’s eyes, but it only startled Bo.

“Ren?”

He wished a man was standing in front of him right now. Of course, he knew there was someone inside the costume but…asking a chicken! It couldn’t be worse than learning love from this same chicken, right? Or receiving relationship advice? Ren could have never understood intricacies of a woman’s behaviour if it weren’t for Bo. He steeled his nerves.

“Do you know I am getting married?”

“Is there anybody who doesn’t?”

Ren gave a weak smile. Asking Yukihito hadn’t been as unnerving. He took a deep breath.

“Would you be my groomsman?”

Bo froze.

Ren held his breath. Kyoko had said to believe in his friendships. As the silence stretched longer, Ren reminded himself this was one of the two people whose friendship he was sure of. He suppressed the urge to put on a smile and say it was a joke. He released his shaky breath and gulped another one. 

“I…I can’t.”

Ren felt his numb lips settling into a courteous smile. He felt like his head was spinning.

He nodded, “I understand”.

He didn’t understand. He was working hard against his inclination to isolate himself, however, his two friends were always by his side, even when it was him against the world.

He couldn’t comprehend his colossal misjudgment.

He backed away.

A white, plush wing held his arm before he could take a step.

“You don’t understand” said Bo. Ren gazed back with vacant eyes, however, blinked and his eyes widened when Bo did something unprecedented.

He took off his head for the first time in their association.

“I am the bride.”


	2. Slightly burnt rice with seaweed seasoning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A few days later when Mizuki glared at Katsuki, he answered “I can’t cook”. Director Ogata laughed out loud before “Cut”.

Author’s Note: First of all, thank you for all reviews and follows. This story has been waiting at my desktop for some time, a reminder for editing. I still think it is somewhat pointless but at least not it is easier to read.

Hope you enjoy it.

Slightly burnt rice with seaweed seasoning

Apart from their clothes, mannerisms and ridiculously complicated private lives, the Hongo family mansion showed their riches. It was a two-storey western style mansion with a separate wing for its master, a whole basement for servants, in addition to a huge dining hall with even a larger ball room. Along with its lavish gardens, the mansion was a sight to be seen. The fact that its real owners were able to lend it for six months because they ‘prefer to stay in the newer one’ didn’t fit into even these talented artists’ imagination.

Whatever the reason, they were happy to have a massive mansion to themselves. The huge master suite as well as the drawing room, parlour, some servant bedrooms and the enormous dining hall and ball room were used for shooting. The staff utilised rest of the upstairs bedrooms. 

They disregarded the kitchen as it didn’t have water and gas. They learned it had a working microwave when Kyoko-chan surprised the team with homemade soup in a pre-dawn shooting. She blushed furiously at the cheers.

The scene was long and sun was faster than them so they had pre-dawn shooting the next day. This time, cheers were for Oohara-san.

“The happiest group I’ve seen for plain rice," she smiled as the girls helped serving.

“I am not good at cooking," Itsumi-san blushed as she showed up with fried eggs the next day. 

The team nearly teared up when Iizuka-san handed them an onigiri each. She muttered “I am not as busy as you youngsters” with a blush.

If they were sad when this scene ended, they didn’t show it to the director. So when Ogata-san came to announce midnight scenes with moonlight with a tray full of cookies, they were pleasantly surprised.

Takagi-san announced takoyaki with joy and “my wife made them” the next day. Everybody laughed when Kijima-san complained about his uncooked rice the loudest. Tsuraga-san’s sushi the next day was delicious, but against the rules.

“You have to cook it yourself” Oohara-san said, her hands at her waist.

“Ordered food isn’t accepted” Itsumi-san added. 

Tsuruga-san warily looked at the women cornering him, “I can’t cook. And, you ate it already”. 

“Take example from Kijima-san, he cooked even when he didn’t know how to.”

“Which explains its taste”.

Itsumi-san and Oohara-san glanced each other, no heart in them to lie about it.

“Also,” Tsuruga-san continued with a smile, “I don’t have much time to do it”.

Director Ogata called him before either of them gave the answer he deserved for that comment. It was forgotten by the time Kyoko-chan came with a saucepan from kitchen.

At his next turn, Tsuraga-san ordered pizza. The one after, Thai food. The next day he had to hide in the kitchen, under the pretence of helping Kyoko-chan.

A few days later when Mizuki glared at Katsuki, he answered “I can’t cook”. Director Ogata laughed out loud before “Cut”.

“Do something basic, Tsuruga-san, to appease the ladies.”

“I can’t cook.”

“Everybody has some quick meal to put together when they get hungry. I’m sure you have - " Ogata-san silenced, Tsuruga-san’s expression clearly stated in such cases, he didn’t eat at all.

Tsuruga-san began to sit next to Kyoko-chan at these snack times as the women liked the girl too much to glare at her direction for long. Ogata-san learned not to get into these staring battles, Kijima-san gifted a ‘I can’t cook’ saying t-shirt to Tsuruga-san and even Takagi-san needed to ask if his wife’s food was accepted. When Iizuka-san took ladies’ side, Yukihito-san began to accompany him between rooms. Only when, instead of laughing at Kijima-san’s proud declaration of “it tastes awful, but I cooked it myself” over some horrible rice, the ladies glared at Tsuruga-san, Kyoko-chan became aware of a silent war going on.

“Tsuruga-san?” she looked up at him over a cup of Kijima-san’s watery rice.

“Yes, Mogami-san?” he looked at her with his gentleman smile.

“N…nothing,” she quickly returned to her cup.

“Mogami-san,” he sighed. A glance showed no smiles so she turned to look at him. “I can’t cook” he said, with an expression to show how often he used this phrase these days. 

“Hm?”

“Apparently it was against rules to order food.”

“You didn’t prepare them yourself?” she squealed.

An astonished silence fell over the room. Tsuraga-san couldn’t manage to lower his head before he chortled. He tried to stifle his snigger at Kyoko-chan’s glare. 

“I didn’t prepare them myself, Mogami-san,” his voice wavered.

“That is against the rules!”

“I don’t know how to cook,” he shrugged. He smirked when irritation flashed across Kyoko-chan’s face.

“Do you know how to cook anything? Anything at all?” Kyoko-chan said.

“I can’t cook,” he said with a deadpan expression. 

Kyoko-chan’s one eyebrow ticked. “When someone around you don’t prepare food, what do you eat?”

“I buy food.”

“Something energy, something calories, right?”

Tsuraga-san leaned back, knowing where this conversation was going. “Right,” he replied, a chagrined expression spreading, hands already halfway, waiting for the explosion.

“Tsuraga-san, your body is your tool and treasure, is this how you look after yourself? Would a pro disregard his body like this? Tsuraga-san, you don’t behave like a pro!”

Another astonished silence fell over the room.

“Really Mogami-san,” Ogata-san said in a soft voice, “wasn’t this going too far?”

“What?” Tsuruga-san growled. Many people startled at Katsuki’s dark look. Itsumi-san and Oohara-san glanced each other in alarm, they never intended Kyoko-chan to be in trouble with her sempai.

“You dare look at me like this,” Mio answered, “even when you know what happened in the past.”

Blink. Katsuki was gone. Blink. Mio was gone. The two actors continued glaring at each other, as if getting in and out of character in the middle of conversation was an everyday occurrence. The rest of the room watched, mesmerised.

“Mogami-san - “

“So, Tsuruga-sempai can’t cook,” she stated.

“Right,” he answered slowly, suspicious of Kyoko-chan’s sudden mood change.

“None at all?” she asked with a disturbing business smile.

“None,” he agreed.

“How disappointing” she moaned, slumping in her seat. Tsuruga-san startled, everybody in this room knew he respected his kohai’s words as much as she, her sempai’s. “I thought Tsuruga-sempai could do everything he put his mind to.”

“I never put my mind to cook - “

“To being a pro.” Tsuruga-san silenced, Kyoko-chan looked at him with wide, innocent eyes. “I thought Tsuruga-sempai put his mind to being a pro.”

Tsuruga-san’s eyes widened. Then closed, with a smile.

Yukihito-san snorted. As if his charge stood any chance against that girl. Especially with this subject.

“Yukihito-san,” she called with a bright smile, “when does Tsuruga-san return home today?”

Many people in the room giggled as Tsuruga-san gave a fond smile to the girl he lost fair and square.

The next day, they were the proud eaters of Tsuruga-san’s first cooking - slightly burnt rice with seaweed seasoning. He looked proud of it.


	3. Her grandfather, the bubbly girl and she

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maria was a toddler when her grandfather introduced Jelly. She was tiny with cute curly hair. Grandfather kept calling her an artist.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Editing is a writer’s hell. I can’t stand it. It is a must though…unfortunately. I think this one needs some more but I got bored of it (Sorry).
> 
> There are some theories about President and Jelly’s relationship, this is my take on it. I couldn’t help adding Ren to its end (bad writer! Should have edited it out! It is irrelevant!).
> 
> Hope you like it.

Her grandfather, the bubbly girl and she

Maria was a toddler when her grandfather introduced Jelly. She was tiny with cute curly hair. Grandfather kept calling her an artist.

For a long time, when someone mentioned art and brushes, Maria thought of make-up. It wasn’t for some years that she understood people were talking about painting.

People told her that Jelly made her mother look angelic. Maria didn’t understand as her mother already looked like an angel. Though she would admit Jelly’s make-up made her grandfather look more shiny and extravagant than usual.

The first time Jelly’s artistic brushes touched her face was after the funeral. She didn’t say it wasn't her fault or how great a model her mother used to be. The only thing she said was that it was waterproof make-up, just in case. She had a kind smile though.

Maria never knew her grandmother. There was a portrait of her grandparents in the house, but it was too colourful to look at for long. Her grandfather loved his job, company and Maria, she never thought he could love another person. Or another person could love him. She didn’t figure out Jelly’s blushes for quite a long time.

When she did…let’s just say, her grandfather was the victim she developed her cruel mischief and stalking skills on.

Her grandfather was a cheerful and optimistic person in love. It was years later that Maria understood the nuance between in love with love and in love with someone. Similarly, it took as much time to see the difference between adoration and admiration.

To her defence, her grandfather has always been this way and she didn’t know how rare it was.

If her grandfather was messenger of love, his technique was discovering people’s potential. Jelly had been a talented make-up artist, but under grandfather’s careful eye, she turned into the witch of make-up. 

What irked Maria to no end was that his grandfather tutored Jelly literally under his eye. She worked for movies and dramas, but not as much as she worked for her grandfather’s daily make-up. Especially on important dates. So Jelly was around in all Valentine’s Day season and never failed to give chocolate to grandfather. He wasn’t allowed to eat it.

Her unfortunate affection towards her grandfather aside, Jelly was easy to talk to. She was cheerful, bubbly and energetic. She was also one of the few females around so Maria had quite a few embarrassing conversations with her.

Jelly was also the one who taught her to do make-up. As much as Maria couldn’t understand why she would need to do her own make-up — Jelly was always around — it helped learn tips from an expert. She could point out the girls’ errors at school.

Jelly was the witch of make-up, but for Maria, she was her grandfather’s favourite make-up artist. He introduced only his favourites to her. So when they came with a young man with shiny black hair, blinking like his eyes were hurting, she knew he was going to be one of them as well.


	4. Picky Eater

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This was the reason, when he decided to leave Kyoto, Sho asked Kyoko to come with him. He was willing to part with his mother and her authoritarian manner but he wasn’t willing to part with her cooking.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sho is one of my least liked characters in this manga, maybe except Reino, but it was surprisingly easy to write about him and Kyoko. They have history, chemistry and lots of emotions. I felt Ren’s pain.
> 
> I think this one turned out pretty. Hope you like it!

Picky Eater

Sho wasn’t a picky eater. At the glorious age of sixteen, he could eat whatever was in front of him and would be hungry two hours later, but he wasn’t a picky eater when he was a child as well. He didn’t like everything put in front of him, he just knew not to complain when it wasn’t the superior food founded in a ryokan.

His parents trained him compliant like that.

In fact, ryokan was the only place he could be picky about his food. It was the only place his mother cooked, even though it was occasionally at most. For Sho, there were two types of cooking: His mother’s and other people’s.

Kyoko never understood this distinction, Sho guessed, because Kyoko’s mother never cooked for her. Then again, in young Sho’s mind, it wasn’t a valid reason not to notice the obvious difference between these meals. Kyoko was stupid like that.

When Kyoko began taking cooking lessons from his mother, Sho was enraged. She dared to imply she could cook like his mother.

“You are an imposter!” Sho had shouted. She had run away with tears in her eyes. 

The next day, she was back. She was like…what did those boys at school played…a boomerang, back then. However far you threw her away, she would come back.

(Until, one day, she didn’t.)

Sho didn’t eat Kyoko’s food and she didn’t offer any. She continued her lessons though.

A few years later, when his mother offered to teach tea ceremony to Kyoko, Sho understood the reason for all those cooking lessons. He was horrified. On the other hand, he inwardly had to congratulate his mother, because the moment Sho tasted Kyoko’s cooking, his food categories changed: His mother or Kyoko’s and other people’s.

This was the reason, when he decided to leave Kyoto, Sho asked Kyoko to come with him. He was willing to part with his mother and her authoritarian manner but he wasn’t willing to part with her cooking.

Tokyo’s cuisine was so different from Kyoto’s. He would have complained sooner if Kyoko didn’t prepare his breakfast every morning, ready for him when he woke up. Afterwards, she began to prepare bento boxes. It was the only uncool spot in Sho’s spotless visage but he lived through it for its taste and low fat.

As popular as Sho was at school, he didn’t hang out after school. The reason was Kyoko - she either had to hang out with him, which wasn’t fun, or she would go home and his parents would understand what Sho was doing, which was even less fun. So Sho went outside only at the weekends, and knew only the coolest places around (Sho preferred to stay at home and play his guitar anyway, therefore he used Kyoko as an excuse. If he noticed even boys were bullying her for monopolising the most popular guy’s time, he didn’t care).

The cool places in his neighbourhood served traditional food, as a result, Tokyo was the discovery of fast food for Sho. Who wanted rice and fish when he could have cheeseburger and frappucino? Kyoko only knew traditional food, ugh.

At his age, no amount of calories could affect him but fat, those fat, affected his most valuable part.

Ok, maybe second. His voice was pretty important too.

They created pimples. Fast food exited Sho’s life as fast as it entered. Sho was left with his smiling teddy bear rice, octopus sausages and other heart shaped foods. He had to ask Kyoko to stop making cute bento as it was uncool and made Shoko think he had a girlfriend.

A few months later, he went to his first tour. Shoko laughed at how much food he brought until he told her about pimples.

At his next tour, they had a cook with them. His food wasn’t as good as Kyoko’s but Sho wasn’t a picky eater. Shoko’s food wasn’t even as good as the cook’s but Sho wasn’t going to complain about anything she did.

He tried to notify Kyoko before going to the condo so she could prepare his favourite foods. It didn’t work as he didn’t know when he would have the need and time to go to the condo. In addition, if prepared beforehand, it got significantly harder to free himself from her. Kyoko was able to prepare delicious snacks quickly, anyway.

When Kyoko swore revenge on him, it was symbolic for her to throw food at him. It would have been even better if it was one of the bento boxes she prepared.

Then again, She wasn’t a picky eater.


	5. Wind of change

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Director Ogata liked the angel’s demonic look from the PV but didn’t cast her as Mio for Dark Moon. This changed destiny.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote this when I noticed how an important role Kyoko played for Dark Moon series and though what would happen if she didn’t. Turned out more like a what-if scenario than a story but since I don’t write much these days, here it is.
> 
> Hope you like it.

Wind of change

Director Ogata liked the angel’s demonic look from the PV but didn’t cast her as Mio for Dark Moon.

This changed destiny.

Tsuraga-san convinced President Takarada he could act out Katsuki. Directer Ogata still fainted at the press conference. Iizuko-san complained the loudest about the useless director but she was quite content with the new Mio. She was just like her Mio from Tsukigimori: Introverted, shy with a slow burning hatred for her sister.

Ogata-san kept on collapsing at the tiniest noise. Everybody walked on eggshells around him and compared him to his father behind his back. 

Nobody knew Tsuruga-san’s father to compare him to but his knowledge was enough to despair him. His Katsuki was nowhere near his. His emotions were shallow compared to his. The President was right, he couldn’t portray a love story character without feeling the emotion itself.

He tried, though. Takarada-san walked out. Tsuruga-san wasn’t surprised. Ogata-san had a panic attack.

Dark Moon turned out to be a marketing flake that drowned in Tsukigimori’s shadow even before it born. It didn’t create the wind of change everyone expected.

Tsuruga-san’s career took the hit but continued. He wasn’t offered romantic roles for some time but people forgot with time. He didn’t accept any offers. He worked relentless, knowing he had a long way for his goal.

Ogata-san’s career took the hit and went down in comparisons to his father. It took years to gain courage to start his father’s signature work to begin with, many believed he couldn’t find it again.

The angel with demonic smile worked on other projects in the meantime, commercials and cameos. When she got her first supporting role, she lost her job. She didn’t have a sempai to tell her how to create a character, lead her and support her. She was stubborn though, she wanted to use this PV as her stepping stone. She had a sempai from her company who teased, annoyed and disliked her but would give useful tips between his scary gentleman smile and death glares. She didn't dare go to him for advice though. She heard he was bad at romantic roles anyway.


	6. Muses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oh. A muse? Ah. At the same time, let this be the last time he had to co-star with meddlesome coworkers from previous projects.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This have been sitting and waiting to be published for months but I didn’t like it enough to share with you guys. Reminded me kind of the second story, the Slightly Burnt Rice with Seaweed Seasoning, but a similar story is better than none, right? 
> 
> Kia-san is a random character that I use to advance the plot :) Ren sharing genes with fairies come from an omake where Kyoko’s grudges have a meeting about the blinding quality of Ren’s smile.
> 
> Hope you enjoy it.

Muses

Kia-san’s mannerisms reminded Ren of Kyoko in her imagining-fairytale mood. Even with his heart warm with this association, Ren would admit that it didn’t suit a man.

“I found my muse,” Kia-san wailed with starry eyes, earning a glance from the set crew before they returned back to their jobs with the ease of ignoring weird antics of acting people. The cast, waiting for shooting, took a few steps back and showed their acting prowess in looking busy. Ren, who was helplessly reminded of the girl he loved but affronted to see how off it looked on a man, was caught in the starry gaze.

This was one more difference between the two gazes: Kyoko lived her fairytales inside, closing all contact with the outside world while Kia-san preferred to share his daydreams with everyone.

“Do you have a muse, Tsuruga-san?”

“No.”

Someone chuckled behind him. Now that Kia-san found a target, the busy actors could join the conversation.

“We know you do, Tsuruga-san.”

Ren frowned at Matsumari-san. “I think I would know if I had one. It is not something to hide.”

“But you hide to protect her, don’t you Tsuruga-san?” Momose-san said.

“It would be a good image,” Matsumari-san said, “if she can get Tsuruga Ren out of tight acting spots, can you imagine what she could do to lesser men?”

“I don’t have a muse,” Ren said, already knowing their answer. He didn’t want to think what kind of scenario they were imagining with one of the partners the tabloids chose for him. He turned to look at Ogata-san, the only sensible person in this conversation.

“Isn’t it Kyoko-san?” he said.

Oh. 

A muse?

Ah.

Ogata-san smiled kindly when the rest of them laughed at whatever they had seen on his face.

“Isn’t she the one you go to when you have an acting problem?” Ogata-san said, “I know she helped you with Katsuki - “

“ - and with both Black Death and Cain Heel - “

“ - along with many others.”

Ren gulped. Not only with acting problems, he went to her with personal ones as well. He would never tell that though.

“I haven’t thought about it - “

“Kyoko-san,” greeted Kai-san.

In the sudden silence, you could have heard a pin drop. Kyoko greeted them when she got near them. She looked at them, confused, when the silence became increasingly awkward. In a few moments she would understand they were talking about her.

Someone start the conversation, Ren pleaded inward.

“Kyoko-san, do you have a muse?” Kia-san asked.

With a different subject!

“I don’t think I have one,” she said slowly before losing herself in her daydreams of fairy muse princesses or something similar.

This was the one person starry eyes suited.

Ogata-san caught his attention before the others noticed his soft look. He collected his expression.

“What about Tsuruga-san?” Ogata-san asked. Ren gave him a chagrined look.

“Tsuruga-san? I go to him when I get stuck with a character, does that make him my muse?” Kyoko asked Ogata-san with wide eyes. Ren wished the set would be ready already.

“Isn’t it what a muse is, giving inspiration when you are stuck?”

“Oh,” she stopped as if to process it. He glared at Matsumari-san and Momose-san’s smirks. He couldn’t bring himself to glare at Ogata-san’s kind look but look where it got him. “Ah, he also has the genes.”

What? Alarms blared in his mind.

Kyoko gave him a blinding smile, he gave a somewhat shaky one back.

In Kyoko’s mind, the only one suitable to be a muse should be Corn, the fairy prince. Tsuruga Ren shouldn’t share genes or looks or anything with him.

“What genes are you talking about, Mogami-san?”

She shook her head. Probably thinking he shouldn’t learn about it before his powers awaken. To save the world from evil powers.

“Would you allow me the honour of accepting to be my muse?”

Ren felt his smile soften even when laughter boomed around him.

“If you allow me the same honour.”

Kyoko’s smile was the most beautiful thing in the world.

At the same time, let this be the last time he had to co-star with meddlesome coworkers from previous projects.


	7. Dyeing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How Ren hated them. Not (only) because of what they represent but because it meant it was time to dye his hair again. It was like Kuon refused to disappear, resurfacing every two weeks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, long time no see. This one-shot came fast and I loved it immediately but I couldn’t write it in a way that was satisfying. After I accepted that it sounded better in my head and was bored of editing it over and over again - here it is.
> 
> Hope you like it. I still like this idea too much.

 

Dyeing

 

When Takarada-san flew him to Japan and suggested to dye his hair to black to appear native, Ren had thought it was a good idea. It was still a good idea. But as with most of Takarada-san’s ideas, it wasn’t the most practical. 

 

Add up the fact that only Jelly was allowed to dye his hair or know its original colour, the result was organisation chaos that irritated and amused Yashiro-san like no other. 

 

Well, Yashiro-san’s amusement was from the random names of these appointments, because it would be suspicious if he were to go to a hairdresser every two weeks. Which was a ridiculous expectation with his schedule. On his busy days, Ren depended on people’s inattentiveness. If Yashiro-san started to suspect, it would only be a matter of time before he noticed the blond roots of his black locks. 

 

How Ren hated them. Not (only) because of what they represent but because it meant it was time to dye his hair again. 

 

It was like Kuon refused to disappear, resurfacing every two weeks.

 

In the end, although he would act like he knew nothing on the subject, Ren was an expert on hair dyes and procedures. Not on hair care though, which made his hair’s quality a pride point of Jelly. All the better for him. At least it was a subject to talk about at their “Sunday brunch appointment”, “choosing the President’s cosplay meeting” or similarly named meetings.

 

So when he saw Kyoko’s hair, he immediately knew it was dyed. As he got to know her, he also learned her panicked look as her black roots showed themselves. 

 

He loved her. The reasons varied from her personality to talent to cuteness. None tried his self-control as much as needing to tell her he feels her pain and let’s complain about having dyed hair together. 

 

This camaraderie knew no bounds. It also knew no bounds of trouble for him. 

 

Of course, as with all things Kyoko, he couldn’t help himself.

 

He gave Kyoko an expressed look as Jelly put his black wig on his black dyed hair. Kyoko gave an understanding look as she put her blonde wig on her brown dyed hair. 

 

Oh, the possibilities if they could talk about it. 


End file.
